Since this whiskey is the same as last year's Birthday Bourbon at a year older, I thought I would compare the two side by side.

Nose:
2005: Lots of caramel and fine leather with a hint of sweet floral tones.
2006: Rich caramel and fruit with a little oak wood.

Taste:
2005: Caramel and oak with some ripe apple fruit. There is a little oak wood and pepper spice.
2006:Very nice caramel and a hint of fruit, but wood is a big part of the flavor here with some oak tannins leading into the finish.
Finish:
2005: Very clean but sweet with caramel and just a hint of oak wood. Last a long time.
2006: Very nice caramel toffee after the blast of oak tannins leading into the finish.

Notes: You can tell the two products are of the same vintage. The 2006 has a rich caramel that is very nice but the tannins can be a bit harsh. I like the balance of the 2005 better. The Gilmanized mixture of the two is actually my favorite.